To:
Malcolm Turnbull, Bill Shorten, Richard Di Natale, Nick Xenophon

Coal or Coral? Let's have a Great Barrier Reef election debate

Dear Malcolm Turnbull, Bill Shorten, Richard Di Natale, Nick Xenophon: will you participate in a live Great Election Debate about the Great Barrier Reef and Cimate Change before the election on 2 July?

Why is this important?

Australia’s beautiful and iconic Great Barrier Reef is dying. By our actions we risk losing a natural wonder, the world’s largest living organism and a vital source of recreation, inspiration and enjoyment for all. The Reef’s greatest threat is climate change caused by burning fossil fuels, especially coal. We have a clear choice - coal or coral, the mines or the reef, business-as-usual or a clean economy.

The fate of the Great Barrier Reef deserves a Great Election Debate. Who will save the Reef? How will we tackle climate change? What kind of Australia will we leave for our children and grandchildren? These are critical questions we should be debating in this election but so far they have been kept to the fringes.

We are asking our political leaders to tell us their plans for saving the Great Barrier Reef from climate change before the election on 2 July by participating in a live debate – broadcast free to air, with an audience, with unscripted questions.

As Sir David Attenborough says: 'Do we really care so little about the earth upon which we live that we don’t wish to protect one of its greatest wonders from the consequences of our behaviours?'

This election may be the last chance for the Great Barrier Reef. Show you care - please support our petition and share it far and wide. Help make this debate happen!

Beautiful GBR underwater pic is by Kyle Taylor

How it will be delivered

We will deliver the petition to the party leaders before the election. If enough people sign the petition I will ask an organization such as one of the free to air TV channels if they will host the Great Barrier Reef election debate.